Pie cutting gauge and guide



J. B. TWEETEN PIE CUTTING GAUGE AND GUIDE Aug. 5, 1952 Filed April 8, 1949 a cake.

Patented Au 5, 1952 UNIreof js rArcs PATENT OFFICE i PIE CUTTING GAUGE AND GUIDE John B. Tweeten, Santa Rosa, Calif. Application April 8, 1949, Serial No. 86,295

1 (llaim.

My present invention relates to gauges and guide apparatus in which a mechanical device is made use of for the purpose of accurately dividing a circular item such as a pie or a cake into an equal number of pieces.

The principal object of my invention is to provide an improved gauge and cutting guide for use in cutting pies and cakes and the like.

Another object is to provide a gauge and cutting guide for cup-shaped pastry in which the said pastry may be equally divided into accurate semi-divided portions, and

Other objects incorporated in said invention involved in the construction and operation of the device will be apparent as the description of the same develops. Y Referring more in particular in the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device as applied to a pie or a cake to be divided into a certain number of pieces. In this particular view the device is set to cut a cake into eight equal pieshaped pieces, the irregular outer line and top irregular lines indicate the outer edges of The dot-and-dash lines indicate the outline of the eight equal pieces into which the cake will be cut;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 portions of the device being shown in elevations and other portions of the cake and bottom of a cake tin being shown in fragmentary dot-and-dash lines to better illustrate the position of the device when in operation;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-section taken through the hinge portion of the device being indicated at 33 on Fig.2; v

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-section taken on the line 64 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan portion of the top horizontal cutting plate showing the curved point engaged by the vertical hinge pin.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, I!) indicates a pie or a cake. H indicates vertical separator plate. The plate II is provided on one edge with an open hinge portion l2 and on another edge with an elevated key portion IS.

A horizontal cutting guide plate is provided with knob member l5 secured to the plate H by means of a cap screw l6. Clamped to the top surface of the cutting guide plate I 4 between the bottom surface of the knob I5 is a, heavy wire hinge pin member one end of which is provided with a loop l6 and the other end of which is bent at ninety degrees to form a hinge pin portion I! which fits in the open hinge portion I 2 of the separator plate II. The hinge pin, knob 2 and plate M are demountable for sanitary reasons. To make these demountable pieces easily assembled and adhere to their proper positions when assembled, I have formed a curved surface Win the plate l4 into which the bent over hinge pin portion l! of the Wire engages when assembled.

Of co-urse it is apparent that other forms of hinges may be employed between the plates II and I4 and other means substituted for the knob l5 and be the patentable equivalent of the specific structure shown and described in present application.

In the plate I4 I have located a plurality of slotted openings 20. These slots 20 are calibrated in degrees from a zero point represented by'the edge 2! of the'horizontal plate l4. As noted on the drawing there are eight slots marked 24, I6, I2, 8, 1, 6, 5, 4. Any one of these slots may be engaged by the key portion 13 of the separator plate II and in such a slot the cake or pie may be equally divided in the exact number of portions indicated by the numeral adjacent such slot.

In operation, if it be assumed that the cake or pie is to be cut into eight equal' pieces, the apparatus will be assembled with the key member [3 located in the slot marked eight, as shown in Fig. 1. A single incision is made in the cake or pie from the center to the outer edge indicated at 25. The separator plate H is now inserted in the incision 25 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A second incision is now made in the pie or cake using the right-hand'edge 2| of the horizontal plate as a knife blade guiding edge. The separating plate II is now moved into the second incision and another cut is made along the knife blade guiding edge 2|. In similar manner the apparatus is progressively moved in a counterclockwise direction around the pastry and all the pie-shaped pieces are of equal size. 7

It will be apparent that the device is not limited to the particular number of cutting divisions set forth in the application but the locating slots may be laid out or calibrated into various divisions, those shown in the drawings being illustrative only. It is also to be understood that I may vary the shape and proportions of the various parts of the device and substitute equivalent portions within wide latitude while still remaining Within the spirit of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, WhatI claim as new is:

A pie segment cutting gauge comprising a vertical plate adapted to be inserted in a radially disposed incision in said pie in combination with a segmental shaped plate pivoted at its apex to one edge and at one end of said vertical plate, stop means located on the top edge of said vertical plate engaging with stop means located in said segmental shaped plate, said vertical plate being radially movable under said segmental shaped plate to any angular position Within the includedangle of said segmental 10 shaped plate.

JOHN B. TWEETEN. 4

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,117,453 Serrell Nov. 1'7, 1914 1,617,649 Poissant Feb. 15, 1927 Nauman Apr. 2, 1929 Nmiibr Country I Date Germany Nov. 22, 1934 

